I recently finished editing highlights for a beautiful wedding held at Crofter’s Green, a charming Vermont venue nestled amongst rolling green hills. As I was working on these wedding videos, it got me thinking about the process of having a wedding venue.  Videography is fun and rewarding but not a goal.

So, with limited funds starting out, I was wondering if is it possible to get a wedding venue without putting any money down upfront? After a bit of research, was I surprised by what I found. Not really.  You’re gonna need to come up with at least 10%

Here are five ways to try to get your own venue.

SBA Financing – The Small Business Administration offers loan programs like the 504 Loan that requires only 10% down for purchasing commercial real estate. This could potentially allow you to buy a property for event hosting with 10% down.  I have a SBA loan already.  They are easy to work but I’d have to knock off that existing nugget first.

Seller Financing – Find a motivated seller and negotiate seller financing. So the current owner carries a mortgage for you and allows a very low down payment.  In Vermont where Barns and Weddings go together like fish and water, maybe there’s a cute farm ready to convert to cultivate marriages.

Partnership – Joining forces with other investors to pool money for a down payment can help reduce the amount needed from each partner. A 20% down payment split four ways is more feasible.

Lease-to-Own – Leasing the property with an option to buy it later on can allow you to operate and try to obtain financing before having to fully purchase the venue.  This will be tough, you’re limited to what you can lease that will work as a wedding venue.

Hard Money Loans – Higher interest loans from private investors may offer more flexible terms and lower down payment requirements than conventional mortgages.

Another idea, I’ve toyed with is being the go-between for places that have considered hosting weddings part-time and couples looking for creative venues.

In summary, it’s very difficult but not impossible to buy a wedding venue with little or nothing down if you’re creative, find the right property, and leverage some of these options. But you’ll likely need at least 10-20% down through one of these avenues.

Oh and here’s that highlight film from Crofter’s Green, a unique location to be sure.